Rides awesomely. Did 75kms on it the other day and it was so pleasant. Handles superbly and is beautifully responsive. Not exactly typical fixie type build, but is a roadie focussed cyclists idea of what an SS should be. Weighs about 8.5kg. Only thing I would change about the frame is the angle of the top tube. Not horizontal enough.

Last edited by mrgolf on Thu Jan 31, 2013 6:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Belt drive and fixed might not mix too well. Especially on deceleration. But if you arent going belt drive, that is irrelevant.

I bought the bike off ebay. What is your budget? If I were planning a non fixed project exactly like a roadie, I would buy a cheap carbon frame and build one up with a tensioner. Then it could be exactly like your roadie. And you negate a lot of the riding issues related to typical fixes: heavy wheels and frames, narrow bars, style over comfort type approach. Not that that there is anything wrong with that. Its just that it will not make for a good daily 50km commute.

Exactly. That was my suggestion. Ditch fixed and go SS. If you ride big kms on a roadie, changing to fixed gear isnt really your best course. You might find some unfounded superiority in ragging on someone who has chosen free over fixed like a hipster keyboard warrior (teehee), but it is no less a valid form of cycling. Its just less caught up in dictating to others what they think is the cool way to ride. As a cyclist that races road and mtb, my choice of free related to limiting possible injury associated with having your legs directly attached to the drivetrain, and regardless of your preference, you cannot deny there is more chance of injury to muscles on a fixed than a free. If I get injured, I dont race. I also can't commute 35kms each day and have to catch a bus. Regardless of your disdain for freewheelers, you wouldnt honestly wish that on them. It sounds like the OP is a similar cyclist to me if he is looking for a roadie style bike for commuting.

Your suggestion of eccentric hub is excellent. Then he could run free or fixed whenever he wanted and get rid of the unsightly tensioner. Nice work. If I ever decide my bike is too pretty (personal opinion, and I imagine my post has now coloured a few opinions of my bike now... ) to ride frequently, or I want to race SS, a carbon frame with a eccentric hub would be ace. Do you know what they weigh compared to a conventional hub? I imagine there would have to be some weight penalty.

mrgolf wrote:Exactly. That was my suggestion. Ditch fixed and go SS. If you ride big kms on a roadie, changing to fixed gear isnt really your best course. You might find some unfounded superiority in ragging on someone who has chosen free over fixed like a hipster keyboard warrior (teehee), but it is no less a valid form of cycling. Its just less caught up in dictating to others what they think is the cool way to ride. As a cyclist that races road and mtb, my choice of free related to limiting possible injury associated with having your legs directly attached to the drivetrain, and regardless of your preference, you cannot deny there is more chance of injury to muscles on a fixed than a free. If I get injured, I dont race. I also can't commute 35kms each day and have to catch a bus. Regardless of your disdain for freewheelers, you wouldnt honestly wish that on them. It sounds like the OP is a similar cyclist to me if he is looking for a roadie style bike for commuting.

Your suggestion of eccentric hub is excellent. Then he could run free or fixed whenever he wanted and get rid of the unsightly tensioner. Nice work. If I ever decide my bike is too pretty (personal opinion, and I imagine my post has now coloured a few opinions of my bike now... ) to ride frequently, or I want to race SS, a carbon frame with a eccentric hub would be ace. Do you know what they weigh compared to a conventional hub? I imagine there would have to be some weight penalty.

Hey thanks for getting back to me guy's. Now that I look closely I see you have a belt drive didn't pick that up before :/ Yeah no hangups on going SS and realistically its probably better that I do anyhow. In terms of going road style that would definitely make me more comfortable so I can shelve my nice roadie for the nice sunny days and the weekends. I am not keen on Carbon though for a few reasons I want to get stronger in the winter so I wanted the extra weight from a Steel frame and to be honest I quite like the clean looks of a thin tubed given I already ride a carbon road bike daily.

mrgolf wrote: As a cyclist that races road and mtb, my choice of free related to limiting possible injury associated with having your legs directly attached to the drivetrain, and regardless of your preference, you cannot deny there is more chance of injury to muscles on a fixed than a free.

This is my function over form commuter. runs 75 GI fixed for a a 37 k a day round trip. Weight and fixed is the best workout you can get to make the weekend geared roadie rides a treat. Comfy as butted Cromo with a solid wheelset added . No junk k's or lazy coastin makes for a better cardio/strength workout. i'd have thought that as a racer it would be a first choice for you? Added injury??? best not tell all those successful track riders on fixed gear that they are risking injury, otherwise they may not move on from being gold medalists in a velodrome to becoming top road sprinters and tour winners.

I also have a reacto 907. Nice bike. Very responsive and smooth. Although everything feels a bit agricultural vs the belt.

I bought the bike on eBay. If you aren't fussed on weight, steel is perfect. I built a fixie/ ss for a mate using a voodoo maji frame a couple of months back and it is a great base for a project like yours. Torpedo7 usually have them for less than 300 bucks. Considering buying one and building up a bike out of the left over bits from projects in my garage. That would be a good place to start. They are a nicely built frame.

This is my function over form commuter. runs 75 GI fixed for a a 37 k a day round trip. Weight and fixed is the best workout you can get to make the weekend geared roadie rides a treat. Comfy as butted Cromo with a solid wheelset added . No junk k's or lazy coastin makes for a better cardio/strength workout. i'd have thought that as a racer it would be a first choice for you? Added injury??? best not tell all those successful track riders on fixed gear that they are risking injury, otherwise they may not move on from being gold medalists in a velodrome to becoming top road sprinters and tour winners.

Nice bike. I like the paddy wagon frame.

Trust me, I get plenty of cardio on my training rides. Fixed would not make it any harder. Please don't misquote me. I said added risk of injury, not added injury. And riding fixed in traffic on a commute does increase the risk of injuries to muscles. You can't argue with that. A smooth velodrome is a different matter. If you dig fixed, enjoy. At my age, a less risky approach is fair enough.

Yeah, I'm hearin ya mate. Just stirrin the pot. I'm 43 and rode SS to begin with, but have come to love the fixed stuff in the last 2 1/2 years both brake less and with front brake now for commuting. I've had 50% medial meniscus removed from my left knee in the past(prior to FG riding) and can say that it's now stronger and the best I've known it for a long time. Fixed riding is more of a re programming and changing the way you think and ride that hones the skills. My cadence is higher and my pedal strokes (souplesse) are way more fluid and refined from the fixed commuting.

A better cadence would be well worthwhile. I know mine is not as smooth and even as it should be. Hence why I am opting to stick with a 72gi rather than the 79 I initially planned. Fixed would be a more efficient process.

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